OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT... STEPHEN MCDANIEL... THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING MERCER LAW GRADUATE LAUREN GIDDINGS HEADS BACK TO COURT TOMORROW.
MCDANIEL HAS AN ARRAIGNMENT AND BOND HEARING BEFORE SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE PHILLIP BROWN AT 2 P-M.
CANDACE ADORKA JOINS US FROM THE EYEWITNESS NEWSROOM WITH A LOOK AT WHAT TOMORROW COULD HOLD FOR MCDANIEL.
FRANK HOGUE IS A CO-ATTORNEY FOR STEPHEN MCDANIEL.
HE SAYS TOMORROW... MCDANIEL WILL ENTER A PLEA OF NOT GUILTY AND THAT WILL KICK START THE MURDER CASE OF LAUREN GIDDINGS.
ITS CALLED THE JOINING OF THE ISSUE.
"Joining of the issue means the state has accused him of murder. The plea of not guilty says i didn't do it, prove it. and that's what locks the case in as a contested matter now that has to be resolved in the normal way cases are resolved."
HOGUE SAYS THAT PART SHOULD BE RELATIVELY QUICK.
WHAT WILL TAKE THE BULK OF THE AFTERNOON IS MCDANIEL'S BOND HEARING.
HE SAYS TYPICALLY... THE GRAND JURY WOULD INDICT THE ACCUSED WITHIN 90 DAYS... AND TYPICALLY... A JUDGE WOULD DENY BOND IN A DEATH PENALTY CASE.
BUT IN THIS CASE... HOGUE SAYS THE D-A'S OFFICE WAITED 115 DAYS TO PRESENT THE INDICTMENT.... AND... SAYS NOW THE JUDGE HAS TO SET BOND.
"if you can get a client out of jail on bond, you can take your time a little bit more, he's not being punished now, he's not suffering jail when he's presumed to be innocent and the practical side is it's a lot easier to work with a client on preparing his case when he's out of jail."
HOGUE AND HIS CO-COUNSEL... FLOYD BUFORD... WILL PRESENT THEIR EVIDENCE FIRST IN THE BOND HEARING.
THEY HAVE TO PROVE THERE IS A LOW RISK OF MCDANIEL HURTING OTHERS OR THEIR PROPERTY... THAT HE ISN'T LIKELY TO INTIMIDATE WITNESSES... OBSTRUCT JUSTICE... OR COMMIT A FELONY.
THEY ALSO HAVE TO PROVE HE LIKELY WON'T RUN AWAY AND AVOID COURT...
THE JUDGE COULD SET A BOND TOO HIGH FOR THE MCDANIELS TO AFFORD.
HOGUE SAYS HE DOESN'T THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN... BUT BOND COULD COME WITH STRINGS ATTACHED.
"the judge can add any conditions he wants to. He can make him stay in Macon. He can make him stay in Lilburn and only come to Macon to meet with his attorneys for example. He could make him wear an electronic monitor around his ankle..."
EVEN IF THE JUDGE BROWN DOES SET BOND TOMORROW... MCDANIEL WOULD REMAIN IN JAIL UNTIL BOND IS ALSO SET FOR HIS OTHER CHARGES OF CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION.
LEAH?
THANKS CANDACE...
WE'VE ALSO TRIED TO GET HOLD OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY GREG WINTERS TODAY... BUT SO FAR OUR CALLS HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED.

AN AUTOPSY SHOWED THE WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN A MACON HOME ON FRIDAY DIED OF A SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD ACCORDING TO BIBB COUNTY CORONER LEON JONES.
THE POLICE REPORT SAYS 40 YEAR OLD YVONNE JACKSON LIVED IN THE PATTERSON STREET HOUSE... WHICH POLICE SAY WAS SET ON FIRE.
TODAY..... FRIENDS AND FAMILY REMEMB ERED HER.
BRITTINY BARBER HAS MORE.
<< A SINGLE BLACK WREATH HANGS ON THE DOOR... WHERE YVONNE JACKSON'S THREE CHILDREN LIVE...
Ciara: "SHE always made me laugh... she was funny. She was cool she could sing."
RIGHT NOW... THEY CLING TO MEMORIES OF THE HAPPY TIMES.. SAYS 16 YEAR OLD JOSHUA.
Joshua : "I would sqeeze her and hug her tight and me and her would play wrestle."
JOSH ... ALONG WITH HIS TWO SISTERS.. LIVE WITH THEIR FATHER ADRIAN...
THE COUPLE SEPARATED ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO....
Adrian: "She was a wonderful person she's going to be geatly missed and I pray to god we get justice soon."
ADRIAN SAYS YVONNE'S HOUSE WAS BURGLARIZED SEVERAL WEEKS AGO... THE ONLY THING TAKEN... WAS HER GUN.
HE SAYS THAT'S WHY HE THINKS SOMEONE WHO KNEW HIS EX-WIFE.. KILLED HER.
Adrian: "I wanted her to be safe. Cause That was not a burglary i'd ever seen."
BUT AS THEY COME TOGETHER TO OVERCOME THEIR LOSS... THIS FAMILY WORKS TO REMAIN IN HIGH SPIRITS.
Joshua: "Im feeling alright because I know where she's at. She's in heaven. I know where she at so it's alright."
Ciara: "I'm ok because like I know she's still here in our hearts."
BRITTINY BARBER 13WMAZ EYEWITNESS NEWS>>
ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT... JACKSON'S CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE CRIME LAB AS EVIDENCE.
THE FUNERAL IS SET FOR FRIDAY AT NEW HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH... WHERE YVONNE WAS A MEMBER AND SANG IN THE CHOIR.

A FORMER TAYLOR COUNTY FOOTBALL STAR IS SCHEDULED TO DIE THIS MONTH FOR A 1991 CRIME SPREE.
ACCORDING TO THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.. DANIEL GREENE WILL BE EXECUTED APRIL 19TH.
GREENE WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING A 19 YEAR OLD MAN WHO WAS TRYING TO HELP A STORE CLERK WHO HAD BEEN ROBBED AND STABBED BY GREENE.
GREENE'S 1992 TRIAL HAD TO BE MOVED BECAUSE OF PRE-TRIAL PUBLICITY.
A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT REJECTED GREEN'S CLAIMS THAT PROSECUTORS STRUCK SIX JURORS FROM HIS ORIGINAL TRIAL AND GAVE IMPROPER CLOSING ARGUMENTS.

WARNER ROBINS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PLANS TO TAKE A SECOND VOTE TONIGHT ON STARTING A NEW PAY SCALE.
COUNCIL VOTED FIVE TO ONE LAST MONTH IN FAVOR OF BEGINNING THE NEW PAY SCALE THIS MONTH... BUT CITY LAW REQUIRES A SECOND VOTE FOR IT TO TAKE EFFECT.
MAYOR CHUCK SHAHEEN AND COUNCILMAN DARON LEE WANT TO DELAY THE RAISE UNTIL JULY... WITH THE START OF THE NEW BUDGET YEAR.
LORRA LYNCH JONES IS AT TONIGHT'S COUNCIL MEETING AND HAVE MORE ON EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 11... AND 13WMAZ DOT COM.

MACON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE MEETING NOW... COVERING A LONG LIST OF ITEMS... INCLUDING PAYING FOR SICK LEAVE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES TRANSFERRING TO THE COUNTY... AND SPLOST PROJECTS.
AMY AUBERT IS AT THE MEETING... AND JOINS US NOW BY PHONE WITH AN UPDATE.
AMY?
THANKS AMY... SHE'LL HAVE THE FULL STORY TONIGHT ON EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 11

ONE SMALL MOVEMENT CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE DURING A LUNG SURGERY.
KATELYN HECK EXPLAINS HOW ROBOTS LEND DOCTORS A HELPING HAND ON THE OPERATING TABLE.
<<
(NATS: thats just the scar tissue)
A MEDICAL SCAN REVEALED A BACTERIAL INFECTION IN 65 YEAR OLD CHERYL MATLOCK'S LUNG.
(SOT: there are cases i think where this will grow and destroy your lung.)
DOCTOR LAURA REED SUGGESTED REMOVING THE GROWTH ....AND ALL SHE HAS LEFT NOW, ARE THREE SMALL SCARS.
(SOT: it used to be when I was in my training that we would make a gigantic incision from the spine all the way around to the front)
THESE SMALL ROBOTIC HANDS LET MATLOCK ESCAPE THE SURGERY WITH INCISIONS NO BIGGER THAN A DIME.
(NATS: i just come over here and sit down)
DOCTOR REED PERFORMS HER LUNG SURGERIES ALMOST TEN FEET AWAY FROM THE OPERATING TABLE.
SHE MANEUVERS TWO SMALL LEVERS WITH HER FINGERS... AND USES A 3-D CAMERA TO MOVE THE ROBOTIC HANDS INSIDE THE PATIENT.
(SOT:for the thorascopic surgeries we did, the instruments were very rigid. they didnt have any joints that we could manipulate and get around things. with the robotics its just like your own wrists and you can manipulate the instruments such that you can do much more and with a lot less surrounding trauma to the tissues.)
THE DAVINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM DEBUTED AT COLISEUM MEDICAL CENTER THREE YEARS AGO... DOCTORS ORIGINALLY USED IT FOR HEART AND PROSTATE SURGERIES... UNTIL MATLOCK WALKED THROUGH THE HOSPITAL DOORS IN FEBRUARY.
SHE BECAME DOCTOR REED'S FIRST LUNG PATIENT TO UNDERGO THE ROBOTIC SURGERY.
(SOT: i cant even tell i had it now, except the relief i have knowing it's not there anymore.)
NOW... DOCTOR REED SAYS SHE CAN USE THE MECHANICAL HANDS... FOR JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.
(SOT:basically anything we can do open almost, we can do with a robot.)
THE SMALLER INCISIONS AND MORE ACCURATE MOVEMENTS WITH THE ROBOT... HELP PATIENTS LIKE MATLOCK GET BACK ON THEIR FEET... IN NO TIME.
KATELYN HECK
13WMAZ EYEWITNESS NEWS
>> DOCTOR REED TRAVELS TO OTHER HOSPITALS... INCLUDING THE MEDICAL CENTER OF CENTRAL GEORGIA TO USE THE ROBOT TECHNOLOGY FOR LUNG PATIENTS.

A GROUP FROM AUGUSTA PAID A VISIT TO A MACON HOME TO LEND A HELPING HAND.
THEY ARE MEMBERS OF A DISASTER RECOVERY TEAM THAT SPECIALIZES IN REPAIR WORK.
WHEN THEY'RE NOT BUSY RESPONDING TO DISASTERS.. THEY COME TO CENTRAL GEORGIA TO VOLUNTEER WITH A LOCAL CHARITY.
WE CAUGHT UP WITH THEM IN TONIGHT'S HERO CENTRAL REPORT.
<<
SOT "THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE IN OUR DISASTERS WE COVER SO WE'RE REAL FAMILIAR WITH THIS."

LEE CARTER HAS HIS WORK CUT OUT... HE'S REPAIRING THE CEILING AND PART OF A ROOF AT THIS MACON HOME. HE MADE THE TRIP FROM AUGUSTA.... AFTER HIS GROUP... THE AUGUSTA BAPTIST DISASTER RECOVERY SERVICE... TEAMED UP WITH REBUILDING MACON.

SOT "WE'RE A CHRISTIAN GROUP AND WE GET THE REWARD. THIS IS THE WAY THAT I SERVE CHRIST, JUST DOING THIS. BUT BESIDES THAT, IT'S THE HUMANITARIAN ASPECT OF HELPING PEOPLE UNABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES HAVE A BETTER WAY OF LIFE."

THIS RETIRED BIO CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR MADE THE TRIP WITH EDDIE PENLEND.

SOT "WE CAME DOWN HERE INITIALLY AFTER THE MOTHER'S DAY TORNADOES."

PENLAND SAYS THIS IS HOW HE ENJOYS SPENDING HIS FREE TIME. HIS GROUP MAINLY SPECIALIZES IN HELPING PEOPLE RECOVER FROM HURRICANES, TORNADOES AND FLOODS. BUT HE SAYS WHEN THEY'RE NOT BUSY DOING THAT... THEY'RE HERE IN MACON LENDING A HAND WHERE THEY CAN.

SOT "I LOVE IT. IT'S MY LIFE, IT'S MY PASSION."

HE SAYS BEFORE HE DID THIS... HE STRUGGLED WITH ALCOHOLISM.

NATS:

WITH THAT BEHIND HIM... HE SHARES HIS TIME AND CARPENTRY SKILLS WITH PEOPLE IN NEED.

SOT "ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, I FIGURED OUT, IT WASN'T ABOUT MYSELF AND I WANTED TO FOCUS ON HELPING PEOPLE."

THAT TOO IS CARTER'S FOCUS. RESPONDING TO THE CALL FOR HELP WHERE EVER NEEDED.

SOT "IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY GIVES US A FEEL GOOD... YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU'RE BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO COME DOWN AND DO THIS KIND OF STUFF."
>> CARTER SAYS OVER THE YEARS... THEIR TEAM HAS MADE ABOUT 10 TRIPS TO MACON.
THEY HAVE A TOTAL OF SIXTY MEMBERS WHO THEY DISBURSE TO DIFFERENT AREAS FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.... WE'LL BE BACK TONIGHT AFTER THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
BUT REMEMBER...THE NEWS IS ALWAYS ON AT 13WMAZ.COM !
THE EVENING NEWS IS UP NEXT.
HAVE A SAFE NIGHT EVERYONE.